Bank Of America ATMs Will Soon Feature Live Video-Chat With Human Tellers

Bank
of America is adding a new feature to its automated teller
machines: actual human tellers.

The company announced Thursday morning that it
will start rolling out new ATMs with Teller Assist, a feature
that allows customers to live video chat with a remote teller.
Customers using the new ATMs will be able to call the remote
teller for services that a machine is unable to provide.

That includes cashing checks for their exact amount
(including change) and getting a withdrawal in smaller
denominations than the usual $20 bills. Bank of America is also
planning to offer the option of paying your credit card bill from
the ATM, as well as splitting a deposit across multiple
accounts.

The feature, available in both English and Spanish, will be
most useful for customers using ATMs during hours when the bank
is closed. That said, video chat will be available from 7 a.m. to
10 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, which means
that you can also use it when the bank is open and you don't feel
like waiting in line to speak with a teller. And of course, it
will also be a big help for customers using ATMs that aren't
attached to a bank -- the company says that the new feature will
be available at drive-up locations and standalone
ATMs.

The program is starting at a single Bank of America
location in Boston, but will roll out at other locations across
America over the course of the year.